"Rise. You ladies can now leave us. I will need to talk to my sons. I will summon you again a week from now," said His Majesty.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As Tori spun, her gaze met Prince Lauren's heated stare as if he was burning holes in her. She politely bowed her head before she continued walking away from the king's sight. But before she could truly leave, her eyes met those golden ones who were throwing daggers at her through his eyes.

And he said I'm a woman when he was acting like a bitch in heat.

Tori also bowed to the second prince right after she gave him a discreet wink.

The moment the huge double doors of the throne room closed, Tori gracefully spun in the direction of the northern castle where she would be waiting for Prince Corean. But after taking a few steps, she was stopped by the banshee-like voice of her half-sister. "You are a greedy little bitch, sister." Sabina walked towards her so Tori waited for her before she continued walking.

The graceful steps of the two ladies and their smiling faces would fool the royal knights stationed in every column of the palace. But between the two ladies, a brewing storm was taking being exchanged. "Oh? Haven't you learned something after the loss you incurred against me? Greed is my last name, dearest sister," Tori said with a sardonic smile. A pair of ruby red eyes gleamed with mockery and cruelty.

Sabina's face flushed red from anger but her smile never wavered. After all, she was in the Imperial Palace. The walls had ears and the servants were either spies or assassins. "Best of luck for the first task then. By the way, I heard how you chased His Highness Prince Corean like a desperate dog wagging your tail to a master that doesn't need you."

Tori pivoted to where Sabina was. Raising her eyebrows with a mocking smile, Tori replied with her infamous sugary smile to her sister.

"Look at how loud you bark. We are indeed dogs chasing bones like crazy. Oh, I mean for you. After all, I still have the Rozenreff Duchy. Worry not, sister of mine. I will surely employ you." Tori tapped Sabina's right shoulder before leaving her seething sister.

You are only this confident since the noble faction is behind you together with that treacherous Marchioness Susana. That reminds me...

Tori's steps were with purpose as she strode towards the northern castle's greenhouse. Nothing much had changed in the second prince's residence aside from the fact that Tessa's disappearance brought great joy for Tori.

Suddenly, the air in the northern castle had become less polluted without that wench's presence. Upon this thought, Tori's steps became lighters as a small curve carved on her blood-red lips.

It is nice to enjoy a pest-free life.

The moment her foot stepped into the greenhouse, Tori immediately saw the sitting silhouette of the person she would be meeting today. The one person that Tori looked forward to meeting today compared to the king.

Upon seeing her, the person stood up to greet her even with wariness oozing from her stance.

"Lady Victoria Rozenreff, a pleasant afternoon."

Tori curtsied back with equal grace. "A pleasant afternoon indeed, Marchioness Susana. Please have a sit though forgive me if I made you wait. I was held up by my loving sister who never failed to show how she fancies me, I must say."

"There is nothing to forgive, Lady Victoria."

No pastries or tea were served since this meeting was not approved formally by the northern castle's owner, Prince Corean. But the middle-aged Marchioness seem to not mind the lack of common courtesy as she fidgeted in her seat which made Tori all the more entertained.

"Relax, Marchioness Susana. It is not like we don't have a very colorful history. In fact, I do love our conversations before just how I loved my conversations with the Duchess Castaña."

Horror reflected upon the Marchioness's eyes as she regarded Tori in front of her. She grasped the latter's right hand across the table. "Please, I will suffer a fate worse than Duchess Castaña if they'll know about this. Please, I've been good to you. Please, spare me!"

Tori could not help but raised her brows at what she heard from the desperate Marchioness.

You've been good to me? You were only good to me because you genuinely thought that Duke Luwen Rozenreff would always favor me since I am the late Duchess Camilla's daughter. You were only playing safe the entire time we spent with each other.

"Indeed, Marchioness Susana. Now let's stop talking about the past where you betrayed me but let's focus on the future in this meeting." Tori's ruby red eyes met the Marchioness's hopeful ones after she mentioned the future.

The trembling Marchioness failed to see the evil glint beneath the pair of lively ruby red eyes of Tori as the latter stared at her like a predator stalking the prey.

"Yes, yes of course. What shall we talk about Lady Victoria?" Marchioness Susana's evident eagerness made Tori smile sweetly.

Oh, how I love this part. You don't know how easy it is to break you, Marchioness.

"How about, where is your butler? I heard he took a trip to a foreign land after abruptly retiring from your estate. That's quite a shame, no? I would love to talk with him."

The look of pure horror came back like vengeance in the Marchioness' eyes so Tori continued as she enjoyed every bit of reaction from Marchioness Susana's face. The realization upon her face when she understood that Tori did not summon her using an invitation with a picture of her and the butler in a compromising situation just to talk with her about anything under the sun. Marchioness Susana how wrong she was for hoping for something from the same woman who could destroy a noble by just her mere schemes.

"What do you want from me, Lady Victoria? You already have the Duchy and you're already a Vesta challenger. What more do you want?" Frustration and pent-up anger mixed in her voice which Tori did not mind one bit. Her knuckles were white as she clenched her fists, wrinkling her dress in the process.

Raising her brows upon hearing Marchioness Susana's fury, Tori smirked. "What more? I want everything. And what everything means I want the Duchy. I want the throne. And I want the Trading Union."

Marchioness Susana's eyes widened upon realizing Tori's intent. Shaking her head vigorously, she replied to Tori as her voice cracked. "That's my husband's trading company, I can't give you that. Anything but that, please!"

Smiling wickedly to the Marchioness, Tori replied confidently as she crossed her arms. "You can. And you will. I know that you hold half of the management and decision-making in the Trading Union, Marchioness Susana. So let's stop this farce and know your place. Right now, I am holding your leash. You don't want me to 'accidentally' drop this 'leash' at the center of the high echelon, right?" She smiled sweetly. "Fair warning, my grip can be pretty loose."

Tears started to flow from the Marchioness' wretched eyes. When Tori saw her surrendering form, she knew that the cheating Marchioness Susana was at her breaking point.

Let's break her more.

Tori stood up. "I am not forcing you to give me your share, Marchioness Susana. Oh well, I can't also force my hands to stop if I drop this to Marquess Zoliel." She walked away from the weeping Marchioness when the latter called for her.

"Wait! Please wait!"

Tori's grin grew wider before she spun back to the Marchioness who was clutching her handkerchief to her chest.

What a pitiful scene.

"Make up your mind, Marchioness Susana. I don't have all day to entertain you." Tori walked slowly towards the shaking Marchioness. Gone was the latter's grace and replaced by a terrifying shock and fear.

"I will give you half of the Trading Union just please don't tell anyone."

A foot away from the Marchioness, Tori stopped. "Kneel and submit to me. Show me who owned you as I strip you off of your power. Kneel, Marchioness Susana Zoliel of House Zoliel, the high lady of high society."

Whimpering like a wounded animal in front of Tori, the once glorious Marchioness kneeled slowly in front of her. Tori's ruby eyes gleamed with cruelty upon witnessing such a scene in front of her. She crouched to the Marchioness' level and caressed the latter's wet cheek. "Remember, you're now my pet. Worry not, I tend to take care of what's mine."

Tori stood up and left the kneeling and crying Marchioness Susana inside the greenhouse.

Aah, what a lovely day it is.

"Be careful, Lady Victoria. Your pets might bite you someday if you abuse them too much."

Prince Corean's voice stopped her tracks. She spun to where his voice came from only to see him standing near the greenhouse's wall.

"Aww. Is that why you're rebelling against me? Am I abusing you now?"